Slide cap



June 17, 1952 G. CRESCENZI SLIDE CAP Filed Oct. 2 1, 1949 INVENTOR" G'EoncsE CQESCENZI %%um fltm 0m ATTORNEYS Patented June 17, 1952.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SLIDE CAP George Crcscenzi, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application October 21, 1949, Serial No. 122,768

2 Claims.

This invention relates to attachments for musical instruments of the reed type, and more particularly to an attachment for protecting the reed of a musical instrument, such as a saxophone or clarinet, said attachment protecting the reed against damage when the instrument is not in use. I

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved guard device for protecting the reed of a saxophone, clarinet or similar musical instrument, said device being very simple in construction, being easy to mount on the instrument, and being readily movable to an out-oi the-way position when the instrument is to be used,

A further object or the invention is to provide an improved guard attachment for the reed of a musical instrument, such as a clarinet, saxophone or the like, said guard attachment being very inexpensive to manufacture, being easy to mount on the instrument, being easy to move to an unobstructing position when the instrument is to be used, and effectively protecting the reed of the instrument when the instrument is not in use.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view of the reed of a musical instrument provided with an improved reed guard attachment constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the reed and guard attachment shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective detail view of the guard attachment employed on the instrument of Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail view taken on line 4--4 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings, H designates the reed of a musical instrument, such as the reed of a clarinet, saxophone, or similar instrument, said reed being mounted on the mouthpiece l2 and fastened thereon by a ligature l3 which is in the form of a split band clamped around the reed and mouthpiece and held in clamping position by wing screws l4. Secured on the top of the ligature l3 by welding, soldering, or other suitable means, is a rectangular block member l5 formed with a longitudinal bottom groove l6. Designated at I! is a bar member slidably received in the groove l6 and extending parallel to the mouthpiece I2, as shown in Figure 1. Secured to the end of the bar member I! is an arcuately- 2 curved shield member l8 adapted to overlie and cover the end of the reed I I when the bar member I1 is in the position shown in Figure 1.

One of the side walls of the block I5 is formed with a recess 19 opening into the groove l6, and extending axially through said recess is a horizontal pin 20 having an external knurled head 2| and a rounded inner end 22. A transverse pin 23 extends through pin 20 adjacent the rounded head 22, and encircling the pin 20 is a coil spring 24 bearing between transverse pin 23 and the end wall of the recess I 9. Spring 24 biases the pin 2B inwardly. The rounded end 22 of pin 2!! therefore resiliently bears against the side of the bar I! and exerts spring pressure thereon. The side of the bar I! is formed adjacent the shield 18 with a recess 25 and is formed adjacent its right end, as viewed in Figure 1, with a similar recess, not shown. When the bar member I! is in the position shown in Figure 1, the rounded end 22 of pin 20 is engaged in the recess adjacent the right end of bar member l1, releasably locking the shield I8 in overlying protective position with respect to the end of the reed Ii and mouthpiece i 2. When it is desired to use the instrument, the knurled head 2| is pulled outwardly, disengaging the rounded end 22 of pin 20 from the recess in the side of bar l1, allowing said bar to be moved to the right, as viewed in Figure 1, from its fullline position to its dotted-line position. In the dotted-line position of the bar 11, shown in Figure 1, the rounded end 22 of pin 20 slips into the recess 25 in the side of bar I! and releasably locks said bar in this position. Therefore, when the instrument is being used, the guard device is releasably locked in an out-of-the-way position, not interfering with the normal use of the instrument. When it is desired to move the shield device to protective position with respect to the reed H, the knurled head 2| is again pulled outwardly, allowing the bar member to be freely moved forwardly to the full-line position shown in Figure 1.

While a specific embodiment of a reedprotecting device for musical instruments has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a musical instrument of the type having a mouthpiece, a reed, and a ligature clampingly securing the reed to the mouthpiece, a support member secured to said ligature, a bar member extending parallel to said mouthpiece and slidably received in said support member for longitudinal movement, an arcuately-curved shield member secured to the forward end of said bar member and arranged so as to cover the ends of the reed and mouthpiece when the bar member is in the forwardly-extended position with respect to the support member, and a spring-pressed detent element carried by theisupport member and engaging the bar member, said bar member being formed with respective recesses adjacent said shield member and adjacent the rear end of the bar member arranged to lockingly receive the end of said detent element.

2. In a musical instrument of the type having a mouthpiece, a reed, and a ligature clampingly securing the reed to the mouthpiece, asupport member secured to said ligature, said support member being formed with a longitudinal bottom groove facing the ligature, a bar member slidably positioned in said groove and extending parallel above said mouthpiece, an arcuately curved shield member secured to the forward end of said bar member and arranged so as to cover the ends of the reed and mouthpiece when the bar member is in a forwardly extended position with respect to the support member, a transversely extending pin slidably carried by the support member and projecting into said groove to engage the bar member, and spring means biasing the pin in wardly, the bar member being formed in its side adjoining the pin with longitudinally spaced recesses arranged to lockingly receive the inner end of the pin and lock the bar member in extended and retracted positions.

GEORGE CRESCENZI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 425,521 Renzenbrink Apr. 15, 1390 903,712 Hamel NOV. 10, 1908 1,016,055 Winquist Jan. 30, 1912 1,680,159 McVicker Aug. '7, 1928 

